Google has recently made an update to the way it handles article headlines in structured data.
In the past, there was a hard character limit of 110 characters for the headline property. However, this limit has now been removed and replaced with a recommendation to be concise with headlines.
This update will likely have significant implications for webmasters and content creators, as they will no longer need to worry about fitting their headlines within a specific character count.
What was the previous character limit for article headlines?
Before this update, Google’s article structured data help documentation stated that the headline property should not exceed 110 characters.
“The title of the article. The value should not exceed 110 characters.”
This meant that webmasters and content creators had to be careful not to go over this limit when writing their headlines, as exceeding it could lead to errors when using structured data.
What is the current recommendation for article headlines?
Google has now removed the hard character limit for article headlines in structured data. Instead, the company recommends using concise headlines, as long titles may be truncated on some devices.
“The title of the article. Consider using a concise title, as long titles may be truncated on some devices.”
This means that webmasters and content creators no longer need to worry about fitting their headlines within a specific character count.
However, they should still be mindful of the length of their headlines, as longer titles may be truncated on certain devices and may not be as effective in attracting readers.
What prompted this update from Google?
It is not entirely clear what prompted Google to make this update to the way it handles article headlines in structured data. However, it is possible that the company wanted to give webmasters and content creators more flexibility in terms of how they write their headlines.
By removing the hard character limit, Google is allowing website owners and content creators to craft headlines that are more effective at attracting readers, regardless of whether they fall within a specific character count.
Final thoughts
This new update will likely be welcomed by website owners and content creators, as it gives them more flexibility in terms of how they write their headlines.
While there is no longer a strict character limit, it’s still a good idea to use concise titles to avoid truncation on some devices.